After clinching the New England Premier League title last Saturday, the DRFC entered yesterday's game against Brown with two goals. The first was to finish undefeated in the Premier League for the fifth consecutive year. The second was to get ready for next week's Northeast playoffs with a peak team performance. The Big Green achieved both goals as seven players scored tries to lead Dartmouth to a 66-3 win over the Bears.
The DRFC finished undefeated in the New England Premier League for the fifth consecutive year and won their sixth New England championship in the last seven years.
Dartmouth won their lineout five minutes into the game. The DRFC forwards won several successive rucks and winger Mike Evans '00 scored in the corner to give Dartmouth a 5-0 lead.
A few minutes later, Dartmouth had a midfield scrum. The DRFC went right and then switched back to the left. Evans swerved around the Brown wing for his second try and a 10-0 lead.
At 15 minutes, Dartmouth was penalized at the breakdown, and Brown's kick made it 10-3.
Late in the first period, Brown missed touch and Dartmouth countered, as co-Captain Kevin Whitcher '99 caught the kick and started the attack. After several rucks, prop Andrew Sweetland '00 drew a defender and Whitcher finished off what he started for a 15-3 lead.
Early in the second quarter, flanker Alex Magleby '00 stole a Brown lineout and passed to co-Captain and flyhalf Mark Oldham '99 who ran into the gap and set the ruck. The ball went right to winger Jeff Kinkaid '01 who drew the defender and put Evans in for his third try and a 20-3 DRFC lead.
A few minutes later, Oldham kicked an up-and-under that came down five meters from the Brown line. Center Alex Kline '99 recovered the kick and set the ruck. The ball went to hooker Dave Dexter '00 who dove in for the try to give Dartmouth a 25-3 lead.
At 30 minutes, winger Kinkaid started another Dartmouth counter-attack. The ball went from Kinkaid to Evans to Oldham who ran into some open space and drew several defenders. Oldham passed to flanker Dave Chamberlain '00 who ran wide and passed inside to Magleby for the try and a 32-3 lead.
Late in the half, Dartmouth won a lineout and center Kline slashed through the Brown defense. Oldham passed inside to lock Drew Gardiner '00 who powered in for the score and a 37-3 half-time lead.
Early in the third period, Dartmouth won a lineout and inside center Mark Kowalsky '99 ran through the Brown defense for the try and a 44-3 lead.
At 60 minutes, Kinkaid put center Rob Parham '99 in for the score. At 71 minutes, the Green forwards won several rucks to allow Kline to score.
A few minutes later, Dartmouth won the quick lineout and the ball went from Kinkaid to fullback Scott Whiting '99 to winger Takeshi Toyohara '00. Toyohara ran through the gap and put Whitcher in for his second try and a 61-3 lead.
Late in the game, Dartmouth won a Brown scrum and Kline scored his second try of the afternoon to make the final score 66-3.
Eight teams from the New England, Metropolitan New York and New York State Unions play next Saturday in the first round of the Northeast regional. Dartmouth plays at noon at Sachem Field against either Boston College, Boston University or Norwich University. The four winners advance to the Northeast Final Four at the University of Massachusetts on November 14-15 and a chance to advance to the national round of 16 in April.
